Smile > Veneers
Veneers
Yes, porcelain veneers are costly (between $1,200-$3,500 per tooth), but dentists are now working with the
seventh generation of porcelain laminates, meaning they're stronger, whiter,
and more realistic-looking than ever. Unlike the bulky caps of decades past,
which required shaving down a significant portion of your natural tooth,
today's porcelain veneers can be paper-thin and bonded onto the tooth front.
At times, only the smallest amount of natural tooth is required to be reduced
before veneer placement. The latest versions are also more translucent.
The newer state-of-the-art veneers (like Empress veneers) allow light to
penetrate through, producing a translucency which is very natural looking and
attractive.
The process begins with a consultation in which your dentist takes digital photos
of your mouth and makes images of how the veneers could change your smile. Next,
your dentist can create what's known as a trial smile: a temporary acrylic mold
made to exactly mimic the look of your final porcelain veneers. You'll wear it
for a short time to make sure you like what you see. Finally, the real veneers
are placed. The whole process, from consultation to final result, can be completed
within a matter of days or weeks.
The advantage of porcelain veneers is that they do not wear down as natural teeth
do, and they're completely resistant to stains. The drawback? Once you have them,
you must keep them for life, since a protective layer of your natural teeth has been
removed. If you get porcelain veneers when you are in your 20s,
you will have to have them redone two to three times throughout your life. As you age,
your gum line can change and your natural teeth underneath darken, which can make veneers
appear less white. Also, as the standards of whiteness
change, patients often want newer, whiter veneers. The procedure can easily be done by
drilling off the old veneers and replacing them with new ones. If you're
getting porcelain veneers and debating between two shades, always go with the whiter one, because
the standards of whiteness just keep getting brighter and brighter.